Washington, D.C. — President Joe Biden plans to issue an executive order on Friday directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior to conduct a scientific inventory of all old-growth and mature forests nationwide. The agencies will also be tasked with identifying threats to these forests and the policies that would protect them. In response, Christy Goldfuss, senior vice president for Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Old and mature forests are powerhouse carbon stores and a key natural solution to the climate crisis. They protect wildlife and are a source for the clean air and water we all rely on. This order is critical for better understanding the extent of our carbon-absorbing resources and ensuring that nature continues to serve as a foundational climate solution. The results of this inventory and other steps will help secure a future for these valuable places as part of the America the Beautiful initiative and its goal to conserve 30 percent of our lands and waters. Pairing this action with other essential climate investments will help to set the United States on a clear path to achieving our climate goals.
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